Trail connection



May l0, 1927.

j -T. A, coNLoN TRAIL CONNECTION.

Filed nec. 22, 1925 Patented May '10, 1927.

nnrren STATES THOMAS A. ooNLoN, or SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND. n

TRAIL CONNECTION.

Application led December 22, 1925. Serial No. 77,078. y

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its ofiicers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without payment to me of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

This invention relates to trail connections and has particular reference to connections between the trail of a gun and its spade and limber.

When a gun mounted on a wheeled carriage is prepared for action the trail is connected to a spade or spades embedded in the ground and in the traveling position it is connected 'to the carriage limber.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a trail connection whose elements are alternately employed in prearing the carriage for action or travel and which fulfills all of the requirements demanded for each application of their use.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a limber showing the connection of a trail member thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in plan of one of the clamping units;

Fig. 4. is a view in elevation showing the connection of the trail member to a spade;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the rotatable clamping member.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference z In carrying out the invention the trail member or members 5 of a gun carriage are each formed with an aperture 6 adjacent -its rear extremity for the purpose of receiving a stud 7 on an anchoring or connecting member, such as a spade 8 or a limber 9. In the case of the limber, the stud or studs are preferably located immediately forwardof the axle.

MARGH 3, 1883; 22 STAT. L. 625.)

The trail is further provided on its upper side with a transversely disposed cleat 10 having forked arms 11 adapted to receive swing bolts 12. Suitably shaped collars 13 on the bolts are held against arms 11 by means of the usual nuts 14. y

The swing bolts l2 on the limber 9 are preferably universally mounted for convenience in hangin them when not in use. When employing a sp it trail, I prefer in the traveling position to engage only the outer arms of the cleats 10 as the proximate disposition of the trail members permits the use of a single swing bolt 15 having a freely rotatable clamping member 16 of suiicient length to span the trail members. A nut 17 for securing the clamping member in place is provided with peripheral recesses 18 for receiving a latch pin 19. This swing bolt may be very favorably positioned `in rear of the limber axle where it more efectually serves to hold the trail in place when the carriage is to be moved backward.

- It will be seen that by the present arrangement a very simple and eifective connection is established between the trail and either the spade or the limber, and the trail is not encumbered with any elements which are not used in both applications.

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute ber provided with an aperture, a cleat havl ing forked arms secured transversely on the trail, a limber to whiclrthe trail is adapted to be connected for traveling, a spade to which the trail is adapted to be connected for firing, and similar means on the limber and spade for engaging the aperture and forked arms of the trail.

2. In combination, a gun trail provided with an aperture and a transverse vcleat having forked arms and a member topwhich the trail may be connected, said member pro- 

